Seeing that Shen Mi didn't say anything, Xie Rongzhuo moved closer and sat next to him, his hot breath burning Shen Mi's face.
"I have a question for you." He glanced over and looked at her face carefully, his expression calm as usual: "My dear, my disciple."
The surroundings were instantly enveloped by his aura, the heat rose, and the air became thinner. Shen Mi forced himself to hold back his expression: "What should I say, dear Master?"
Seeing her flushed face and forced expression, Xie Rongzhuo slowly straightened up and pulled away a little, his eyes still on her face: "Just tell me about the man who pursued you, how is it?"
He brought the topic back to the topic.
There are no men chasing after her, they are all made up by her!
Shen Mi wanted to call the military advisor, but Xie Rongzhuo didn't give her the chance. He said slowly, "He's taller than me, more handsome than me, and better at kissing than me?"
"… "
I praised him for being a good kisser, but he started showing off.
In Shen Mi's guilty silence, Xie Rongzhuo sneered, "If you can't even beat me, how can I get you?"
Shen Mi: “…”
His tone was exactly like a father choosing a son-in-law, and he disliked him no matter how he looked at him.
He is her master, not her biological father. Could Xie Rongzhuo really raise her as his daughter? What a weird habit!
"Shen Mi, I'm curious." Xie Rongzhuo said in a deep voice: "All those who pursued you before were blocked by you without exception. Why did you tell me that you like this one this time?"
Shen Mi has always had a shadow in his heart after what happened to Ke Zhan's mother.
She resists the affections of the opposite sex and has an unusually strong sense of boundaries.
There were many people pursuing her in college, but she didn't have any contact information of any of them in her address book.
I didn't expect Xie Rongzhuo even knew about this.
His arm was resting on the back of her shoulder. He was tall, and his shoulders were higher than hers. His upright body enveloped her. Shen Mi felt that she looked so small next to Xie Rongzhuo, even though she was not short.
She controlled her breathing and was so flustered that she didn't even know where to look.
Someone knocked on the door, and Shen Mi took the opportunity to stand up and escape from Xie Rongzhuo's control: "I'm going out."
After saying that, he hurriedly left the office.
Zhang Wenzhu stared at Shen Mi as they passed by. Seeing that her face was flushed and her hair was a little messy, his eyes widened as if he had discovered some shocking secret.
…It seems like he came at the wrong time
Xie Rongzhuo restrained his expression, reached out to pick up a long hair that fell on the sofa, and put his other arm on the backrest of the seat where Shen Mi sat. He leaned lazily on the sofa and asked in a calm voice: "What's the situation with that company?"
Zhang Wenzhu reported: "There is indeed a dispute over the land that Ms. Zhao mortgaged, but the liquidity on hand does not affect the normal operation of their company. The main problem her company is currently facing is malicious suppression by competitors. Analysts and executives are all industry elites poached by American companies. I have completed the background check on the project that Secretary Shen invested in, and I also found an excuse to check the report on her hand. Secretary Shen is very professional, there will be no problem, you can rest assured."
"Don't let her know." Xie Rongzhuo stroked the long hair. "If you find a problem, you can hint her. She is very smart and knows what to do. As for how to do it, it's up to her. Don't interfere."
Zhang Wenzhu: "I understand."
"Thank you for your hard work these days." Xie Rongzhuo walked to the desk and took out a card from the drawer: "The car you liked last time, pick it up when you have time."
Zhang Wenzhu earned a car by helping Shen Mi. He was excited: "Thank you, boss!"
*
Back at her workstation, Shen Mi picked up her phone. Ning Xinlei had sent her a bunch of messages, and she couldn't wait to check the results of her suggestions.
Shen Mi replied: Failed.
She and Xie Rongzhuo also have a master-disciple relationship, and he has the "burden of being an elder", so this kind of love test method seems to be useless to him.
But why is he so... today? Shen Mi felt that if she hadn't dodged, Xie Rongzhuo might have really kissed her.
Shen Mi pressed his lips and paused, suddenly remembering that Xie Rongzhuo liked even numbers!
We only kissed once that night, so he wouldn't be thinking about making up for it, right
After a moment of distraction, Ning Xinlei saw several messages pop up: Impossible! Unless the guy doesn't like your friend.
Ning Xinlei: No man can tolerate his love rival dancing in front of him!
Ning Xinlei: Not even one!
Ning Xinlei: If you don’t care, then you don’t like it…
Shen Mi couldn't be sure whether Xie Rongzhuo was jealous or not, so she just felt happy in her heart. Shen Mi was not a confident girl, all her "confidence" came from work needs, and was a habitual disguise after being smoothed out by the poison of society.
In fact, she was very self-abased. When she was a child, everyone was celebrating the New Year, but she was wandering by the road alone, not daring to look across the dam, for fear that people would find her waiting for her father. She had a strong sense of self-esteem and was afraid that she would be sympathized with and ridiculed if she didn't wait.
The more pitiful they are, the more they pretend nothing happened.
The same goes for relationships. Shen Mi is extremely inferior when facing Xie Rongzhuo, but she will not show it, and even deceives herself.
She didn't think there was anything wrong with this kind of self-deception, at least it felt sweet for a short time.
This sweetness not only does not conflict with her hard work, but also brings her strength.
Liking an excellent person will make yourself excellent.
So she was not opposed to liking and admiring Xie Rongzhuo.
But if she wanted to go further based on this liking and admiration, her decisiveness and courage seemed to suddenly disappear.
Shen Mi sighed, destined to be lonely for the rest of his life.
There were two knocks on the desk.
Xie Rongzhuo handed over a document and said, "Don't you want to read the news?"
Shen Mi said in a serious manner: "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to my phone."
Xie Rongzhuo: "Come out to dinner with me tonight."
He returned to his cold and indifferent attitude.
Shen Mi actually breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay."
*
Thinking that there was some social event tonight, and because Xie Rongzhuo didn't arrange for her to book a restaurant, Shen Mi put on some light makeup before going out. After arriving at the restaurant, she found that she and Xie Rongzhuo were the only two people there.
There were couple dolls on the dining table, and the candlelight flickered on Xie Rongzhuo's glasses. In the candlelight, Xie Rongzhuo seemed to always have a pair of affectionate eyes.
Seeing this table of fresh and delicious food, Shen Mi swallowed his saliva and pushed the plate over: "Boss, please eat more."
Xie Rongzhuo said: "Tonight's work is not counted as overtime pay."
Shen Mi brought the plate back: "Let me try it first."
Since it is not considered overtime, she can't talk about professional quality.
Xie Rongzhuo pulled the corner of his lip: "How can you treat your elders like this?"
"You're only a few years older than me."
"Who said, once a teacher, always a father?"
Shen Mi cut a piece of steak, picked it up with a fork and handed it to him: "Here, Master, please have some."
She was just pretending, but Xie Rongzhuo hesitated for a moment, then suddenly lowered his head and ate it.
Shen Mi's face suddenly turned red, and she even forgot to take back the hand holding the fork: "I, I'm not going to feed you."
Xie Rongzhuo: "I want to eat what you feed me, is that not okay?"
Shen Mi cut another piece, picked it up with a fork and put it into his mouth.
The atmosphere was a bit awkward.
In order to ease the atmosphere, Shen Mi deliberately dragged his voice and pretended to be coquettish: "Wow—Master loves me so much."
"You are my only precious disciple. If I don't love you, who else can I love?"
Who wants your fatherly love!
Shen Mi continued to speak in a coquettish tone: "I love you~"
Xie Rongzhuo had no expression on his face: "Shen Mi, be normal."
Shen Mi continued to extend the topic: "My roommate in Beijing used to talk like this. She made a million a month. She said that you men all like girls who speak with a pinched throat."
Xie Rongzhuo's eyes fell on her face, and he looked at her carefully. He didn't know how he came to the conclusion: "How else do you want me to like you?"
Shen Mi choked for a moment and swallowed the food in his mouth: "What you said, then I must be being sentimental."
She blinked and started talking: "How much did you like me?"
Xie Rongzhuo placed his sliced steak in front of Shen Mi, then raised his hand and gently tapped her forehead.
"So much food can't keep you hungry?"
Shen Mi felt a little tickled by his flick, rubbed his forehead, set the plate, and asked curiously: "Don't you like eating beef? Why do you always give it to me?"
Xie Rongzhuo put on gloves and started to peel shrimp for her: "Didn't you eat it just now?"
Shen Mi answered without thinking: "You only eat it because I feed you." After saying that, he quickly drank a sip of water to ease the embarrassment.
"By the way, Master, Assistant Zhang seems to be interested in the project I invested in recently." Shen Mi changed the subject abruptly, but immediately said seriously: "You arranged for him to come to inquire about the information, right?"
Xie Rongzhuo lowered his head to peel shrimps, a few strands of hair hung in front of his forehead, and his cold facial features were given a touch of tenderness by the warm light.
“Why would I do that?”
Shen Mi stared at his straight nose and guessed, "Are you afraid that I will mess up and won't be able to pay back the money, so you asked him to help keep an eye on it?"
"Indeed." Xie Rongzhuo looked up at her, "You're such a big eater. If you sell yourself to me, I can't afford it."
"Master," Shen Mi came forward and said, "Have any girls ever told you that your jokes are really cold?"
Xie Rongzhuo handed her the last shrimp, lowered his head and wiped his hands slowly: "No, just you."
Shen Mi glanced at the side. She had noticed that from the moment Xie Rongzhuo peeled the first shrimp for her, the girl sitting next to her had been criticizing her boyfriend, "Your stress-relieving hobby makes people think I'm lazy and don't even want to peel shrimp."
"Why worry about this?" Xie Rongzhuo raised his eyelids: "Are you worried that the person pursuing you will misunderstand you?"
"Ahem—" Shen Mi almost swallowed half of the shrimp raw.
She was the one who said that someone was pursuing her, and she couldn't deny it, so she could only suffer in silence.
Xie Rongzhuo: "Come to the company to work overtime this weekend."
Didn't she have to work overtime every weekend before? Shen Mi was a little confused: "Do I have to work overtime on both Saturday and weekend?"
"Are you busy?" Xie Rongzhuo stared at her: "Do you want to go out and play with the person who is pursuing you?"
Shen Mi hurriedly shook his head: "No, no, I'm just asking."
"Then come and work overtime with me."
"OK."
*
After get off work the next day, Shen Mi went to see Zhao Baili and Zhang Zhiqing to talk about work, which was considered a monthly summary.
Although Shen Mi was confident in this project with Zhao Baili's backing, all the money she had was borrowed from Xie Rongzhuo, so she was still a little worried.
This line of work cannot hide secrets. Everyone knows that Shen Mi was brought up by Xie Rongzhuo. Who would dare to trust someone who can't even help Xie Rongzhuo? The name "Xie Rongzhuo" is a double-edged sword, which is both a shortcut and a pressure.
Zhao Baili has lost a lot of weight, and it can be seen that she is under a lot of pressure. Investment is a tormenting business. Some people get rich overnight, while others go bankrupt. Outsiders may think it looks glamorous, but only they know the taste of being slowly cooked over low heat.
But compared with the mental pressure that Shen Mi suffered from being bullied since childhood and then collapsed, she was willing to bear and accept it.
"Recently, several traffic stars have joined the website, and the traffic has skyrocketed. On the contrary, Bi's brand discount APP has frequently failed, and several big Vs have publicly stated that they bought fakes. Shen Mi, all the problems you pointed out have appeared on his website, you are awesome."
"They want to be the first to try out the big-name market, so it's inevitable that they'll encounter those difficulties. What we're doing is innovating the times. In the past two years, signal towers have been successfully built in third-tier cities and remote areas. Soon, with the promotion of traffic services, the number of short video users will continue to increase. I've done some research and found that live streaming sales have a bad reputation at the moment, but I have a feeling it will be a big trend in the future."
"Okay, I'll bring it up at the meeting next week and have them assign someone to focus on this area. I'm curious, since you're so talented, why didn't you apply for a job at an investment bank or bank directly at the beginning, but instead became a secretary for your cousin?"
"I know about this." Zhang Zhiqing raised her hand: "There was a married man in his forties who forced Mi Mi to be his lover. Mi Mi didn't want to, so the old man used some connections to ruin several of her jobs. Mi Mi was also scolded by his wife in public a few times. It was bad luck!"
"The past is too painful to recall, but maybe this is fate." Shen Mi took a sip of juice, unwilling to talk about those things again: "By the way, A Li, deal with the two plots of land you have as soon as possible. I heard from the boss that the policy has changed recently, so try not to touch real estate in the next two years."
"Okay, I understand."
"If this is successful, can I use my share of the profits to invest in your company?" Shen Mi asked.
"This is the greatest recognition for me." Zhao Baili raised his glass: "Look forward to it."
Shen Mi clinked glasses with her: "Looking forward to it."
Zhang Zhiqing joined in the fun and said, "Then I want one too!"
"Okay, then welcome our hands-off shopkeeper."
"It's settled! A Li will be responsible for socializing, Mi Mi will be responsible for obtaining intelligence from my uncle and analyzing the situation, and I will be responsible for recruiting people for you. The three of us sisters will join forces to make the company bigger and stronger and create greater glory!"
"If we're going to do this, we're going to do it in a company that doesn't have any hidden rules for girls! Damn the hidden rules! I've had enough of that lately!"
Shen Mi deeply understood this point: "That's right!"
Zhang Zhiqing followed suit and changed the name of the group to "Three cobblers are better than Zhuge Liang."
"Just focus on the project. I have plenty of people. If the money is not enough, I will go to my uncle to complain."
Zhao Baili: "With my cousin here, the business is stable."
"But," Zhang Zhiqing tilted her head and looked at Shen Mi with a smile, "Now I can't play the victim as well as Mi Mi. You don't know, my uncle dotes on her. He even kissed her when we were playing games that day!"
Zhao Baili was stunned: "Oh my god!? Did they really kiss?"
"It's absolutely true! I have a video of my uncle hugging Mi Mi and kissing her so sweetly. I'll show it to you."
Zhao Baili: "Okay, okay."
Shen Mi: "... Hello."
*
Zhao Baili had an evening social engagement and left first, leaving only Shen Mi and Zhang Zhiqing at the table.
Shen Mi hesitated for a while and said, "Qingqing, if Qin Zhimo suddenly confessed to you, how would you feel?"
Zhang Zhiqing instantly became interested: "Who do you want to confess to?"
Shen Mi couldn't tell her directly, his eyes dodged: "I have a friend who wants to be with her master, oh, it's her master at work, let me, help ask."
Qin Zhimo is Zhang Zhiqing's childhood friend. Like Shen Mi and Xie Rongzhuo, they are close friends and are very suitable for reference.
Zhang Zhiqing thought without hesitation: "Then I will definitely keep my distance from him. I don't like him, why would I bother him? Our two families are so close, if we can't reach an agreement and break up in the future, it will be so embarrassing for my parents."
Shen Mi nodded.
Yes, if the courtship fails, it would be so embarrassing to have to work together in the future.
"Besides, we've both seen each other at our ugliest, and I've said a lot of bad things about him. How could he possibly like me?"
Shen Mi felt guilty.
That’s right, Xie Rongzhuo had seen her at the age of nineteen when she was the most brainless loli, and she had also said so many bad things about him in front of him.
"That's not right," Zhang Zhiqing asked doubtfully, "Do you have friends that I don't know? Colleagues you know from work?"
Shen Mi looked down at the lemon slice in the cup guiltily: "That's right."
"There's nothing wrong with a mentor-apprentice relationship. As long as it's not a teacher-student relationship, no one will care." Zhang Zhiqing was very disappointed: "You, you still want to be a military advisor to others. If you don't get my uncle, I will call someone else my aunt."
Shen Mi asked nervously: "Is there someone chasing Xie Rongzhuo?"
"There are many people chasing after my uncle. He is a popular guy. Every day, elders propose marriage to him in front of my grandfather. I am really afraid that one day my grandfather will be soft-hearted and force him to go on a blind date. Mimi, you can't wait any longer. If you like him, find an opportunity to take the initiative!"
Shen Mi: "Do you think I can do it?"
Zhang Zhiqing: "I feel like my uncle likes you very much. He didn't hug girls before. He didn't take the initiative because he was afraid of being rejected by you. Speaking of this, I have to criticize you. You are too cruel to your suitors! That A Tao and Xiao Zeng are both handsome guys and they are so nice to you. As soon as they confessed their love, you deleted them as friends."
Shen Mi thought for a few seconds: "Qingqing, let me ask you a question."
"What?"
"If someone didn't like you before, and even avoided you and kept a distance from you, and then one day, this person came to please you in every way for money, and even shamelessly borrowed a lot of money from you, and a few days later, he suddenly came to you and confessed his love. What would you think?"
Zhang Zhiqing slammed the table and said, "This guy definitely doesn't want to pay back the money! He's trying to cheat me out of money and sex!"
Shen Mi spread his hands, with an expression that said "I am the scumbag who cheated people for money and sex."
Zhang Zhiqing was stunned: "This person is you? The person who borrowed money is my uncle?"
Shen Mi nodded distressedly.
Zhang Zhiqing: "So when are you going to take the initiative?"
Shen Mi took a sip of water, pursed his lips and thought seriously, then said, "I'll go after him after I pay back the money I owe Xie Rongzhuo."
Zhang Zhiqing asked: "How much money did you borrow from him?"
Shen Mi raised his hand and made a two.
"Two hundred thousand?" Zhang Zhiqing opened her bag and said, "I have it, I have it. I'll help you with the payment first."
Shen Mi: "Twenty million."
Zhang Zhiqing pulled up her bag and said, "Will I ever have the chance to call you little aunt in this life?"
*
Because of family reasons, Shen Mi has been inferior since childhood, but she has a spirit of not admitting defeat in her bones, which gives her a sense of certainty and confidence. As long as she wants to have something, Shen Mi will work hard to get it.
After making the decision, Shen Mi was like a chicken with blood injected. Whenever he had free time, he would busy himself helping Zhao Baili to come up with ideas, make plans and do background checks. He was full of fighting spirit and often worked until midnight before going home.
Every night when night falls, the wall lamp opposite will turn on, the mural will be emerald green, and the light will flow through the gaps between the bamboo leaves, reflecting a warm light that just happens to be projected onto Shen Mi's balcony.
I am not alone in my busy life. Only my body is tired, but I am spiritually fulfilled. Every day when I stand here and look at the bamboo forest opposite, Shen Mi always has a sense of happiness.
It’s not because the bamboo forest is painted so beautifully, but because the person who created this bamboo forest for her always brings her strength.
Shen Mi opened his diary, turned to a new page, and wrote down his next life wish.
—Decorate your small home.
And Xie Rongzhuo.
*
In recent weekends, Xie Rongzhuo said that he would work overtime, but in fact, after arriving at the office, Shen Mi was doing her own work. Xie Rongzhuo turned a blind eye to this and paid her overtime pay.
If he wasn't so busy every day, Shen Mi would have suspected that he was deliberately keeping her by his side to prevent her from being seduced by men outside.
Shen Mi raised his head and looked at the man working hard in the office. Suddenly, he felt that Xie Rongzhuo looked more like the one who was deceived.
Does his white moonlight really exist
If this matter is not clarified, what will happen if Xie Rongzhuo gets cheated when he goes out
There seem to be few people in this world who can deceive him...
But as the saying goes, even a hero cannot resist the temptation of beauty, and the most frightening thing is to sink into depravity while being sober.
A workaholic like Xie Rongzhuo who is focused on his career and puts all his thoughts into making money is just a fool in love, and is most likely to be cheated of money and sex! Didn't she easily "cheat" 20 million
Shen Mi found countless excuses for himself to investigate the enemy.
So on the way to lunch with Xie Rongzhuo at noon, she spoke with confidence: "What kind of character is the girl you like?"
Xie Rongzhuo was slightly stunned.
It’s not that I’m surprised that Shen Mi suddenly asked this, but her self-righteous expression.
And the majesty of the queen.
There was a faint smile in his eyes: "Which girl do I like?"
Under Xie Rongzhuo's intriguing gaze, Shen Mi's heartbeat suddenly became very fast. She looked away and said nonchalantly, "There is a girl you have liked for many years, and the whole company is talking about it."
She shifted her gaze to the right and stole a glance at him: "Isn't it?"
Xie Rongzhuo was a head taller than Shen Mi, and he could see all her little movements. He slowly scanned her face until a blush slowly appeared on her cheeks.
He then said meaningfully: "Isn't it you they spread?"
I didn't expect Xie Rongzhuo to know such trivial gossip. Shen Mi suddenly lost his confidence and his voice weakened: "But I'm not serious."
Xie Rongzhuo did not answer the question directly.
He asked in return: "Are rumors necessarily true?"
"The main reason is that she hasn't come to see you for so many years."
Shen Mi looked like he was caring for his elder and thinking about him. He said with some concern: "This kind of person usually has someone they like. I don't want you to suffer the pain of being unable to get what you want."
"I begged but couldn't." Xie Rongzhuo paused for a moment, then smiled as if admitting defeat: "I like that girl so much, why don't I go after her, Shen Mi?"
He asked this suddenly, Shen Mi didn't understand, and looked into his eyes blankly.
Xie Rongzhuo's eyes were filled with emotions.
Bitterness, helplessness, caution, these emotions that would never appear in Xie Rongzhuo flashed across his dark eyes in an instant.
"If I pursue you."
He straightened his lips and stared at her without blinking: "Will you let me ask for it but not get it?"
The author has something to say:
Xie Yuanfu Rongzhuo: A humble test.
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Happy Lantern Festival, my dears! Leave 66 red envelopes in the comment section~~